The instant invention relates to dental care products and more particularly to a toothbrush with a replaceable brush portion.
The need for effective and regular dental care to prevent tooth decay and/or periodontal disease is well recognized. It is also recognized that in order to be effective a program of dental care should include a daily regimen of brushing, gum massaging, and flossing. Still further, it is recognized that in order to be effective a regimen of daily brushing must be carried out with an effective and proper toothbrush having bristles which are not excessively worn or frayed. In this connection, it has been found that the bristles of even a high quality toothbrush can become worn or frayed after several weeks of normal use and that therefore even a high quality toothbrush should be replaced after approximately one month's use. It has also been found that a toothbrush should be replaced whenever the user thereof has had any type of illness in order to avoid infecting the user's gums during subsequent brushing.
Despite the proven advantages of frequently replacing toothbrushes it has been found that for various reasons, such as convenience and cost, users have often failed to replace their toothbrushes with sufficient frequency. It has been further found that, as a result, many persons have failed to gain the benefits from regularly brushing their teeth which might be realized if at least the brush portions of their toothbrushes were replaced more frequently.
While the general concept of providing toothbrush having a replaceable brush portion has been previously known, the previous attempts to construct toothbrushes of this type have generally been commercially unsuccessful for various practical reasons. In other words, while it has generally been recognized that the basic concept of providing a toothbrush having a replaceable brush portion has merit, the previously available toothbrushes having removable brush portions have failed to provide an adequate and practical solution to the problem of providing a toothbrush having an effective, simple, and readily replaceable brush portion. In this regard, toothbrushes representing the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware are disclosed in the U.S. patents to Wagner U.S. Pat. No. 1,758,632; Rickenbacher U.S. Pat. No. 2,287,327; Rickenbacher U.S. Pat. No. 2,362,159; Schroeder U.S. Pat. No. 2,503,134; Glaza et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,668,973; and Velazquez U.S. Pat. No. 4,020,521. However, since these references fail to suggest a toothbrush having a detachable brush portion which is adapted to be secured to a handle portion in the manner of the toothbrush of the instant invention, they are believed to be of only general interest with respect thereto.
The instant invention provides an effective and practical toothbrush construction comprising a handle portion and a tip or brush portion which is detachably secured to the handle portion. More specifically, the instant invention provides a toothbrush comprising a handle portion and a detachable tip portion which is operative for brushing the teeth or massaging the gums of a user in a conventional manner, but which is adapted to permit the tip portion to be simply and easily replaced, as needed. Still more specifically, the toothbrush of the instant invention comprises an elongated handle portion having a brushing end and a tip portion which is detachably received on the brushing end of the handle portion. The handle portion has a cavity of non-circular cross section formed therein which extends longitudinally inwardly from the brushing end. The tip portion includes a base having a dental instrument thereon, the instrument preferably comprising brush means for brushing the teeth of a user, and a projection which extends outwardly from one end of the base. The projection on the tip portion is of non-circular cross section and it is adapted to be snugly received in the cavity, and means is provided for releasably retaining the projection in the cavity in order to retain the tip portion on the brushing end of the handle portion. The cavity and the projection are preferably both of substantially rectangular cross section and the retaining means preferably comprises detent means which is operative for releasably retaining the projection in engagement in the cavity. The tip portion preferably has a recessed channel formed therein which extends around the perimeter of the projection thereon, and the handle portion preferably has a rim which extends longitudinally outwardly from the brushing end of the handle portion around the perimeter of the cavity. The rim on the handle portion is preferably of substantially the same dimension and configuration as the recessed channel in the tip portion and the rim is releasably receivable in engagement in the recessed channel to effect a seal between the handle portion and the tip portion around the projection. Further, the rim on the handle portion is preferably recessed inwardly from the outer surface of the handle portion, and the rim and the recessed channel are preferably both of substantially rectangular configuration.
It has been found that the toothbrush of the instant invention can be effectively utilized for brushing the teeth of a user. In this connection, because of the manner in which the tip portion is detachably secured to the handle portion, the tip portion is firmly and positively retained on the handle portion during a brushing operation. Further, because the handle portion includes a rim which is receivable in the channel in the brush portion for effecting a seal between the handle portion and the tip portion, the toothbrush of the instant invention is constructed so as to minimize the areas thereon where bacteria could potentially grow when the toothbrush is not in use. Still further, because the tip portion is readily and easily detachable from the handle portion, the tip portion can be quickly and easily replaced with either a new tip portion or with a tip portion of a different type, such as a rubber massaging tip, a small post-surgical brush, or an interproximal brush.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective toothbrush comprising a handle portion and a tip portion, which is adapted to be firmly and positively detachably retained on the handle portion.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a toothbrush comprising a handle portion having a longitudinally extending cavity in one end thereof, and a tip portion having a projection thereon which is receivable in the cavity in the handle portion for securing the brush portion to the handle portion.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.